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Category: Politics

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Timeline – Merrick Garland

Merrick Garland announcing the appointment of Robert Hur, Jan 12, 2023, as Special Counsel to investigate Biden's security lapses in practice and judgements.

Merrick Garland came on the national scene back in 2016 when President Obama nominated him for a vacant Supreme Court seat.  He didn’t win that nomination but was nominated for Federal Attorney General (AG) slot and was confirmed by the Senate.

Feb 22, 2021 - Merrick Garland AG Conformation Hearings on the Border

Under questioning about the border issues, Merrick Garland effectively used a Mohammad Ali like strategy of rope-a-dope.   Feigning ignorance.   Biden had campaigned on open borders and Garland did understand this fact.

Feb 22, 2021 - Merrick Garland Attorney General Confirmation Hearings on Protests

During Merrick Garland’s confirmation hearing around Feb 22, 2021, he appeared say that attacks, say at night, while attacking a Federal Property not operating is not as serious an issue.

Below, the a member of the much vaunted “Wall of Moms” helps to tear down a chain link fence put their to protect the Federal Courthouse.   Note that it is dark outside, so presumably no one is working overtime inside, and hence if there is a crime being committed here, it is insignificant Merrick Garland’s logic.

Feb 22, 2021Sen. Cory Booker questions Garland on domestic terroism

In discussions on the Capitol Bombing, Senator Cory Booker questions Merrick Garland on domestic terrorism in general.

Senator Cory Booker, in a bit of pre Jan-6th exuberance, here on Jul 25, 2018, tries to inspire his constituents to go to the Capital and get in the face of some Congress People.   Thank goodness he is a good Democrat, otherwise, this tone of voice and his words might be considered, well, troublesome.

Mar 16, 2016 President Obama nominates Merrick Garland to a vacant Supreme Court Position

Merrick Garland was nominated by President Obama in March of 2016.  Given the Senate majority at the time,  Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) knew the votes weren’t there for a 51 votes, nor the 60 votes under old pre-2013 rules.   And never brought the confirmation to a vote.  He was able to use new Senate rules introduced by Harry Reid (D-NV) in 2013 no longer requiring 60 votes to confirm cabinet members and judicial appointees instead relying on a simple majority of 51 votes.

Harry Reid’s rule change allowed him and Obama to fill more then 100 district court judges in his last two years as Majority Leader.

President Obama announcing the appointment of Merrick Garland to a seat on the Supreme Court.
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Biden’s Document Problem

President Joe Biden, outspoken on Presdent Trump's document handling techniques, now having to answer for his irresponsible handling of non de-classified documets found at his home and work. Did President Obama declare Biden's docuement set as declassified? Probably not.

With the timeline (see below), of Joe Biden’s classified document problem is slowly growing, as a 4th tranche of documents are found on Jan 20, 2023.

Biden, keeps saying he is a responsible handler of classified documents, yet he appears to be a serial hoarder of classified documents, leaving them in places where he last left them, and then forgetting about them.   Some might say with the iterations involved, a case of Gross Negligence.

Biden, states he is transparent, yet not until CBS broke the story, from an un-named source in January, did any transparency come forth.  He was successful in blocking any reporting prior to the Nov 2022 elections.

Note that if Joe Biden was a private citizen, working for the government, his treatment would be much different.  For example on the Dept of Justice website, is a story how a Honolulu woman received 3 months in prison for offenses similar to Joe Biden[s.  The story can be found here.

The author has held various clearances, with different agencies, at varying levels, included compartment’d access, for 31 years before retiring in 2017.  What we have here is a classic “Chain Of Custody” problem.  Who signed off and checked the documents out?  I have seen people shown the door, a number of times, for less.

1) A sitting president has broad authority to declassify information and documents.  Nominally however these tasks are relegated to various departments that are more closely linked with a given information set.  This issue came up early in the Trump presidency in 2017, described here.

2) A Vice President, such as Biden in 2009-2017, has limited authority.  Most likely President Obama did not declassify Joe Biden’s personal private classified document set.   An Obama Executive Order 13526, does provide more leeway towards various agencies, and Cabinet members ability to classify information, and declassify what they classified.  But a VP does not Presidential powers to declassify.
 
3) President Obama could have declassified Biden’s document set but this has not been reported.

President Joe Biden’s best bet may be to have ex President Obama state the documents were declassified by him?  Or, …, perhaps he simply forgot.   Most people would believe the latter.

Biden Documents Timeline

16-Aug-22()-

22-Sep-22(Thu) – Biden appears on 60 minutes, here, to discuss former President Trump’s Mar Lago.  When asked about the Trump Classified document situation, Biden stated, “How that could possibly happen, how anyone could be that irresponsible”.

2-Nov-22(Wed) The 1st set of classified documents are found at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement.

4-Nov-22(Fri) The National Archives notifies the Justice Department

8-Nov-22(Tue) The midterm elections are held and completed.

9-Nov-22(Wed) With the midterm election completed, the FBI decides, mid-week, to begin their assessment.

14-Nov-22(Mon)  Attorney General(AG), Merrick Garland, head of the Justice Department tasks U.S. Attorney John Lausch to begin reviewing the Biden documents.

16-Nov-22(Wed)  AG Garland appoints a special counsel to investigate Trump’s Mar-a-Lago document set.

20-Dec-22(Tue)  Biden’s lawyers, inform U.S. Attorney Lausch, that additional 2nd set of documents have been found in Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware.

9-Jan-23(Mon) Media outfits, CBS,  begin reporting this story.  With the elections over and new congress sworn in, it’s time to go public and begin framing the issue.

10-Jan-23(Tue) Biden, talking to the media states he (now) has a special room at his home where he.reviews classified issues.   Note that Biden is now the “President”.   No issue to the older documents being discussed here.

12-Jan-23(Thu)  An additional 3rd document set are found in Biden’s garage next to his 67 Corvette.  Biden stated, “My Corvette’s in a locked garage, OK? So it’s not like they’re sitting out on the street,” Biden responded. “People know I take classified documents and classified materials seriously.”   Easy to say, but at times actions speak louder than words.

20-Jan-23(Fri)  CBS reported that FBI Investigators searched Biden’s home and found an additional 6 sets of documents.

Joe Biden's garage, and his 67 Corvette.
The PennBidenCenter, where the first set of classified documents were reported to be on Nov 2, 2022. Located in Wash DC, founded in 2018 is affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania. Biden earned $910K from 2017-2019 from the Univ of Penn. The Univ of Penn has received $15.8 million in 2017 and $14.5 million in 2018, from anonymous donations from China. (NY-Post) It is, or was, fairly common for China to give money to US universities.
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Timeline – Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders – Bernie Sanders first ran for president in 2016.  However, Hilliary Clinton working within the Democrat Party’s power structure was able to out snuff and silence his campaign, winning the 2016 Democratic nomination.   He is popular among nanny state millennial’s for the amount of services he would like the Federal and State governments to supply.   He describes himself as a Democratic Socialist. He has basically calibrated the Democratic ticket bar. Other Democrats may decide to go left, or right, around him.

2022-Dec-29 - Bernie's upset at Southwest

Bernie tweeted today his concern about Southwest having received $7B from the CARES Act in early 2020.  Since he voted for it he should realize the money was to keep people employed, at their full salary.  The money really wasn’t meant for buying planes, or upgrading their infrastructure.  Yes you can gripe about Southwest buying back their stock.  All legal under congressionally passed tax law. 

2016 Presidential Run

At times Bernie appears to be giving up again, he gave up in 2012, pushed farther in 2016, then gave up to the DNC manipulating, now in 2020, will he repeat his pattern?   Basically he has used the election as a time for getting on his soapbox.

In the video he accuses Biden, of supporting NAFTA back in the day.  Bernie and Trump’s views in this area are similar.

Bernie's Honeymoon in the USSR in 1988 and on a later Trip as a Senator

Much as been said of Trump’s Russian connections.  Trump does have hotels in Russia, and in other parts of the world.  Bernie however honeymooned there in 1988.    Not where most American’s would have gone for their honeymoon’s during the cold war.  Bernie has stated this trip after their wedding was not a honeymoon.  But another trip, 1 year later to St. Lucia was really their honeymoon.

And as a mayor of Burlington, Vermont, in 1981, Bernie had high praises for the Soviet Union.

 

Bernie's Thoughts Human Relationships

LNot much is know about Bernie until he was about 40 years old and started to run in politics.  He doesn’t talk much about it and as he is today, a rising star, more will come out in the future.

But one item was he wrote an article on shall we say relationships.  It appears to the right/below of this text.

The reference to one my favorite movies, Blazing Saddles probably does not belong here, but, you get the idea.

This article on human relationships between men and women was written by Bernie Sanders when he was 32 years.

On a Lighter Note

Bernie Sanders has been mostly steadfast against millionaires and the even more evil billionaires. However, after writin his book, he became a millionaire. So it's interesting to see his tweets change after this milestone is reached in his life.
This comic is probably zealous. It should probably only give one of the four runs to the other team. An ESPN watcher will probably understand this.
Bernie has been Vermont Senator since 2007, and Vermonts "at-large" House Representative since 1991. Before that a Mayor. He has not done as well financially as other Democratic politicians. But he is not a Democrat, he is an independent. His book is where he has made the most of his money: Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In.
Bernie Sanders posing with House Representative Rashida Tlaib. Tlaib was our Whiner of the Week in 33 in 2019. The grocery shelves are reminiscent of Soviet food stores in the 70's. Not a backdrop I would go for if I was known as a fan of 70's Soviet style socialism.
Both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have strong idea's on how things should be. To enact them they would need both houses of congress. And in the following two years, there might be a pendulum shift.
Bernie Sanders gets higher poll ratings from younger voters, who are just starting out in life. Bernie has what I call the Peter Pan syndrome, not wanting to grow up and get on with it. This appeals to younger voters.
Bernie Sanders is an avowed Socialist. A simple cartoon here.
Both Bernie and Warren would like to increase the Federal Governments responsibility in taking care of all people who happen to be within our borders. (Branco)
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Timeline – Joe Biden

This timeline will be a large undertaking for me.  Joe’s history is long, half a century.  Joe, for 2020, campaigned on Open Borders, and severely reducing the US’s fossil fuel usage.  He has been largely successful on the border issue.  But his proxy war in Ukraine is making it hard as the US pumps hard to get Europe the Natural Gas it needs for the winter.  

2022-Dec-29 Meditate reported that Joe Biden, vacationing in St. Croix, tweeted about Climate Change, but the $1.7B omnibus bill needs to be signed by Dec 30th.  So Joe Biden’s solution is to have a jet transport the 4,500 page document to St. Croix for his personal signing ceremony.

Note, there really should be no issue about him vacationing in St. Croix during the worst blizzard in US history.  Yes people are dying in cities like Buffalo from the code.  But like Ted Cruz’s famed Cancun vacation a few years back.  Neither Ted nor Joe are necessary to the immediate solution and political grandstanding would just get in the way.

But there are two real Issues; 1) Flying 4,500 pages on a special flight seems very non climate friendly.  And a mite hypocritical.  2) Biden’s vacations at crony donor’s villas, the Nevilles, really should be declared as income.   What are the fair market values for the places Joe vacations at?   Every holiday vacation stay is free, provided by donors?

2022-Dec-29 Joe and Jill in St. Croix, staying at a donors villa, waiting for a 4,500 omnibus bill with Climate Change funding to be flown in by Dec 30th so Joe can sign it.
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Timeline – Rob Bonta – Calif Attorney General

Rob Bonta - Attorney General of California

Calif AG Bonta effectively closes another hospital - 2022-Dec-27

On Dec 16, 2022 California Attorney General Rob Bonta conditionally approved the sale of the Madera Community Hospital to Trinity Health Corporation.   The hospital which opened in 1971, has 106 beds, with 80% of it’s customer base being Medicare and Medical customers.

Bakers Hospitals Review announced on Dec 27, that Trinity Health, that they were backing out of the decision to buy, and the hospital will close on Jan 3.

Bonta listed requirements for approval including, be open for at least 5 years, accepting price caps to ensure affordable care for Madera residents, ensuring continued certification of the hospital as a Medi-Cal and Medicare facility, providing charity care and financial assistance to patients, as well as, community benefits.

With the loss of this hospital, alternatives do exist in nearby Fresno, 30 minutes or more away.

Key items to consider in Bonta’s decision.  1) California recently passed proposition 01 which makes California a destination for out of state Abortion refugees seeking low cost state provided services.  This may not play well with Trinity Health Catholic background.  2) California price-caps don’t work well if 80% of your services are already to low income residents.  There is not the large number of state and tech employees with Cadillac medical insurance to perform cost shifting to.   Ideally California could help more with it’s excess tax revenues.

Why take on another hospital if the state government will force you to lose money?   Isn’t creating a Medical Care Desert in the middle of California the real outcome?   Should the state create a state publicly funded hospital to do it right, since private enterprise cannot?  Rob Bonta’s statement can be found here.

 

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Timeline – Kamala Harris

One of Vice Presidents most profound statements.

Kamala Harris, now Vice President of the United States started her legal career in the San Fransisco Bay area.

Kamala Harris's Noteworth Events

2022-Jan-13 Time to do what we have to do

VP Harris was being interviewed and was asked about Broadband.   Her answer was straight and to the point. Things take time covers it.

2022-Sep-11 Kamala, in an interview with MSNBC's Chuck Todd,

In an interview with Chuck Todd interviewing America’s Border Czar, Kamala basically states, that the problems can be traced to Donald Trump’s handling of the border.

2022-July-26 -Kamala announces her gender and pronouns for America

With many American’s being concerned about their respective pronouns, and possibly their gender, Kamala Harris announces her. Presumably for any blind people listening, she also stated the color of her dress.

2022-Jul-11 VP Harris gives thanks to Joe Biden

2021-May-1 President Biden appoints Harris to chair America's National Space Council

2022-May-1, Politico reported on VP Harris being appointed to head America's National Space Council. This is in addition to her role as America's Border Czar.

2021-Mar-24 Biden appoint Kamala America's new Border Czar

President Biden, Mar 24, 2021, appoints VP Harris to the role of Border Czar.  He basically states this allows her Carte Blanche, to move forward as necessary to manage the border.

2020-Aug-27 Stephen Colbert Interview - Protests/Riots are good, and should not stop

During a Colbert Interview, states he knows that protests are happening in cities across the US.  But he is just not seeing any reporting of them. Kamala responds exuberantly stating yes, and they should not stop.

It would take Jan 6th to occur before a number of Democrat politicians start to shy away from protests.

2020-Aug-12 Joe Biden, based on his key requirements, picks a VP Canididate from from 4 women.

Joe Biden needed a VP running mate and he made his key requirements known.  Woman, and a person of color, (POC), preferably black.   Mainstream news organizations still circulated names like Gretchen Whitmer and Elizabeth Warren.  Both are pasty white.  Only Warren might have a chance, but now she is a former Native American, so on to the candidates.

Karen Bass, issues include her early infatuation with Fidel Castro's governing methods. But these days, who knows where Biden is headed.
Kamala Harris, probably a safe pick for Biden.
Keisha Bottoms, mayor of the city of Atlanta, Geogia
Val Demmings, in her second term as a Florida House Rep.

2020-Jul-03 Wikipedia History Revamped in Prep for a Possible running mate announcement.

With democrat nominee Joe Biden in search of a VP running-mate.  Kamala Harris’s wikipedia page goes thru extensive edits in an attempt to market Kamala, and maybe erase information that could be detrimental.

2022-Jul-03 With candidate Joe Biden soon to make a decision on his VP running mate,. Kamala Harris Loyalist's over the course of several days made a few hundred changes to Kamala Harris's Wikipedia page to remove what might be damaging, and to embellish what might be helpful to her cause.

2020-Jun-01 Kamala posts that the MnFreedomFund needs bail money to free rioters

Minneapolis was a city hard hit, or blessed, depending on your point of view, with protests and riots. Kamala, every mindful of the advantage this might give the Dems in Nov-2020, pushed for bail money donations.
2020-May-29 A housing, mix used building in Minneopolis goes up in smoke.

2019-Jul-31 Tulsi Gabbard pushes Kamala on her prosecution record

During the early debates for the 2020 election, Tulsi Gabbard called out Kamala Harris on her stats regarding locking certain segments of society up.

But really, given the majority she prosecuted successfully wasn’t an issue.  Given the plethora of cases presented to her, the hard part might have been deciding which cases to prosecute, and which to let go.

2019-Jan-29 Was Kamala perhaps to quick on the draw regarding the Jessie Smollett incident?

Was Kamala too quick to judge? Another hasty decision? Jussie Smollett was later convicted of fabricating the story.
An early twitter post by Jessie Smollett.

2003 SF Gate Article - Willy Brown, Free BMWs, Part Time Jobs, and Mentoring

Harris 29, her new boyfriend, Willy Brown, 60, met in 1994 and as described by Herb Caen, going steady in March 94..   Okay.  The #MeToo movement is still years in the future.  And who benefits from this relationship?

Kamala and Willy were the talk of the town during Willy Brown’s mayorial election.  He even gave her a new 94-BMW. 

SfWeekly – Aside from handing her an expensive BMW, Brown appointed her to two patronage positions in state government that paid handsomely — more than $400,000 over five years. In 1994, she took a six-month leave of absence from her Alameda County job to join the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board. Brown then appointed her to the California Medical Assistance Commission, where she served until 1998, attending two evening meetings a month, 1-2 hours, for a $99,000 annual salary.

Her attendance at these meetings was reported to be spotty.

Kamala Harris from a 2003 SfWeekly article. The article, since deleted, can still be found at the Wayback archives.
1994-Mar San Francisco columnist Herb Caen described Willy and Kamala as going steady in a March 1994 column.

2001 Kamala Harris intro by Montel Williams

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Timeline – Gavin Newsom

Gavin Newsom with an aunt of his, Nancy Pelosi, by a previous marriage.

Gavin Newsom, presently the 40th governor of the state of California, in this office since 2019.  Gavin’s story on his rise to governor can really be explained the intertwining of 4 key familes, the Pelosi’s, the Browns, the Getty’s, and of course the Newsom’s.  A historical and fascinating article on this can be found here.

Table of Contents

2022-Dec-12 Gavin visits the Border after Biden said he had more 'Important' issues

In what may be a future 2024 Presidential Ad, and after Biden in a question about the border, stated there were more important issues, Gavin went to the border area of Calexico and Mexicali to make a soft statement on the border.  Previously Gavin was very pro Sanctuary State and welcomed all.  But has Biden pushed immigration too far and now Gavin is setting himself up to run for President? 

2022-Nov Post Election Announcements

Elections are trying times for both Democrats and Republicans.  But it is always interesting to see the announcments that occur after the election.

Calif Budget Reversal - Feast to Famine
Nov 2022 - California's Budget Deficit $25B ?

A week after the midterm's, Gavin Newsom announces that suddenly, predictions are that California will have budget deficit going forward.

May 2022 - California's Record Surplus $97.5B !

With great fanfare Gavin Newsom announced that the California budget for the forthcoming year would show a surplus of $97.5 Billion.

Diablo Canyon Federal Handout & Gavin Reversal
Nov 2022 - Biden announces $1.1B for Calif Nuke Plant

A short time after the 2022 midterm elections, President Biden granted California $1.1 Billion to help keep the Diablo Nuclear Plant operational for another 5 or 10 years.   The Infrastructure Bill allocated $6B to help nuclear plans, California gets 18% of the fund. ( CNBC, CNN, CMNDRM)

Apr 2022 - Newsom reverses course on Nuclear, a supporter now?

Gavin Newsom had planned on closing Diablo Nuclear Facility.  But a review of planned solar, wind, and other power generation technologies showed a hole.  With EV's gaining, and night time charging occuring, Diablo Canyon yields a steady supply of energy during the night when the sun doesn't shine.  (APNEWS)

Feb 2020 - Newsom still moving to close Diablo Canyon

Gavin , an opponent of the Diablo Canyon since his days of being a Lt. Governor for Governor Jerry Brown. This closure would cost the PG&E nearly $4 billion, and $1 billion would be left for customers to pay. (SDNEWSDESK)

2021 Aug - Gavin gets physical with zeal to attack the California homeless problem

Gavin Newsom has made news discussing California’s crime and homeless problems.  On May 11, 2021 he helped in a railroad cleanup and on Aug 9th, helped in a freeway cleanup.

2021-Jun-2 - Gavin Newsom taking time from his busy schedule to remove trash from a hillside

2020-Nov-6 Newsom attends a fundraising dinner at the French Laundry during his lockdown

With Lockdowns being enforced by Emergency Executive Orders from Governor Gavin Newsom.  Gavin took the opportunity to have a fundraising dinner with some of his best donors.

Although the event received wide press, most Californian’s forgave Gavin as he easily survived a Recall attempt and easily won reelection in Nov 2022.

2021-Nov-06 Gavin Newsom dining at the French Laundry restaurant.
2021-Nov-6 At the same time Gavin Newsom was enjoying some fine dining at the French Laundry, Californian's were receiving the rules for regular working people.

2008 and older

Gavin Newsom has been married to actress and filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom since 2008. The pair reportedly met on a blind date set up by a mutual friend at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in October 2006.

Before that Gavin was married to Kimberly Guilfoyle.  Newsom and Guilfoyle married in a lavish ceremony in 2001, with a 500 person reception held at Ann and Gordon Getty’s home.   They were divorced in 2006.

In between Siebel and Kimberly Gavin dated Ruby Rippey-Tourk starting in 2005.  Ruby Rippey-Tourk was the wife of Gavin’s campaign manager, and also worked for the City of SF as Gavins appointments secretary.  In the end she left her job in 2006 to seek treatment for alcohol and drug abuse.   Rippey-Tourk was also given $10,154 for ‘catastrophic illness pay’ from the city, which resulted in an investigation.  The San Francisco office, under DA Kamala Harris, and the city attorney, Dennis Herrera at the time, cleared the payment.

Gavin Newsom with his first wife Kimberly Guilfoyle. The marriage may have taken a tumble when Kimberly took a job in New York City as a TV Host for the show Both Sides on Court TV.
Gavin Newsom and Kimberly Guilfoyle in better times. Kimberly is now the girlfriend of Eric Trump. Donald Trump's son.
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Timeline – Adam Schiff

Adam Schiff, (D-CA), House Representative for California's 28th district.

updated, Adam Schiff, a California House Representative since 2000, chairs the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. He is probably most famous for his outspoken criticism of Donald Trump.

Adam Schiff, the House Intel chair at the time, was chosen to lead the impeachment against Trump.  Nominally this job would have gone to Jerry Nadler, the House Judiciary chair.

Table of Contents

2022-Dec-08 Adam Schiffs new fight, protecting America from hate speech

Schiff’s newest push is attacking Twitter, a social media site.  As the site is being reformed under Elon Musk more freedom to discuss issues using allowing more viewpoints has been the result.

And as more and more reports are coming out how Twitter blocked opposing views, even a few Democratic politicians, Rho Khanna for example, have called out that this was wrong.  Both the Washington Post and Newsweek reported.

Note that it is possible to create a Safe Space on Twitter using the following simple rules.

   1) Only follow the people you agree with.

   2) Block any user who you find offensive.

2021-Nov-10 Adam Schiff is asked about the validity of the Steele Dossier, a document that has guided his life for 4-5 years

Morgan Ortagus, a View host, questions Adam Schiff about his culpability in promoting his Steele Dossier.   The View is nominally, very, very supportive of Democrat causes.   Schiff was most likely blindsided by this line of questioning.  He nominally sticks with CNN or MSNBC for safe interviews.

Ortagus later added that Schiff was so “obsessed” with stopping former-President Trump that he took shortcuts and politicized the intelligence community.

20-Oct-16 With the elections weeks away, Adam Schiff is proposing the Hunter Biden Laptop is Russian disinfornation

2017-Apr Schiff’s investigation was far and wide leading him to foreign sources

Sometime in April of 2017, Adam Schiff was contacted by a two Russian pranksters on a crank phone call.  They offered dirt on President Trump.  A longer version can be found here.

2000 An earlier Adam Schiff made his name and got elected by fighting against impeachment.

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Joe Biden’s Stealth War on oil.

Updated  2022-Dec-6

President Joe Biden, the man who campaigned on reducing fossile fuels.

Much has been said about Joe Biden’s war on fossil energy. Those who are against him look at his actions and say these actions are directly responsible for a large part of the current, Dec/22, inflation rates.   Like it or not, one of the major reasons for the US’s economic prosperity, in comparison with the rest of the world, has been it’s lower than average energy costs.

Biden Stealth War on Oil Post Navigation via topics

2020 Campaign Promises

During the 2020 Presidential Election Campaign, Joe Biden was asked multiple times for his policies on fossil fuels.  In a number of cases he was very explicit on his views.

2019-Dec Oil Company Employees in Jail?

During early 2020, Dec 2019, campaigning Joe Biden held a town hall in New Hampshire.

There he suggested that one way to hold oil executives accountable was to put them in jail.  Should the purchasers of these companies products, consumers, also be put in jail?

2021-Jan-20 Executive Order 13990

Executive Order 133990, enacted in Biden’s first day in office.  Basically stopping the Keystone Pipeline in it’s track.   Some of said it was not yet completed, and hence didn’t affect anything.  It also directed the Sec of the Interior place a temporary moratorium on all activities relating to the implementation of the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (“ANWR”).

2021-Jan-27 Executive Order 14008

EO-14008 directs the Secretary of the Interior to pause on granting new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or offshore waters and to launch a rigorous review of all existing leasing and permitting practices related to fossil fuel development on federal lands.  Additionally this EO directs federal agencies to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies as consistent with applicable law by 2022 but does not detail what is a subsidy.

2021-May-20 Nord Stream 2 Pipeline, the only Pipeline Approved by Biden

Donald Trump had put sanctions on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.    On May 20, 2021 President Joe Biden removed those sanctions enabling work to accelerate on the controversial Russian pipeline to Germany.

The Nordstream Pipeline, sanctioned by President Donald Trump with President Joe Biden lifting the sanctions on 2021-May-20.
Joe Biden came into office with guns a blazing looking to stamp out domestic energy and supplies. But, abroad, he has shown himself to be generous benefactor of offshore production.

2021-Jun-15 Federal Judge Orders Biden Administration To Halt Oil And Gas Leasing Ban

Parts of President Biden’s executive order EO-14008 were deemed outside of his authority to enact.

Specifically EO-14008 called for the ban of quarterly oil and gas lease sales.  

Since Congress, created the Mineral Leasing Act of 1920, the interior secretary is required to hold lease sales, “at least quarterly”.  Hence Judge Terry Doughty, of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana granted a preliminary injunction order banning oil and gas leasing ban until the case is concluded.

2021-Nov-4 OPEC+ rejects Biden’s plea for bigger oil-supply increase

Biden had asked for a speedup of oil production from OPEC+, but the group decided to keep with their 400K barrel/day production hike scheduled for December.   President Joe Biden wanted more than double that amount.  Alarabiya reported that OPEC+ cartel could face a bare-knuckle fight with the White House amid talk of the US could tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.   There was also worry that Iran, with the resumption of Nuclear talks, might be able to enter the world market creating an excess supply situation.

2021-Nov-23 Biden announces a release of 50 million barrels from the SPR to counter OPEC+

In what would be the first of many SPR releases, after being denied his requested production increases from OPEC+, Biden announced a 50 million barrel release from the SPR.

The goal of the move was to fight higher gas prices, help lower “transitory” inflation. Noteworthy on this release was the plan for other nations, China, India, South Korea, & the UK to also release from their reserves.

2022-Feb The Biden administration misses a 2nd deadline to hold onshore drilling leases

Nominally the Dept of Interior has quarterly onshore oil drilling lease sales. The Biden administration, defying a 2021-Jun-15 court ruling which ordered the administration to halt it’s ban on new oil and gas leases missed a second deadline for conducting the required quarterly sales.

2021-Mar-1 President Joe Biden authorizes 30 million barrels release from the SPR in response to the invasion of Ulraine

With the Ukraine conflict in full swing, and oil prices unpredictable President Biden, working with International Energy Agency (IEA) agrees to release 30 million barrels.   The IEA agrees to also release 30 mb for a total of 60 million barrels.

Of all of Biden’s SPR releases, this one is the one most in alignment with the original intentions of the SPR.

2022-Mar-8 Biden states there are 9,000 unused permits to drill

In an attempt to shift the narrative, Biden during  a Mar-8 speech stated that oil companies have 9,000 unused permits to drill on Federal land.

One of Biden’s handlers gave one of his speech writers this simple tidbit.  But, nominally, once a company acquires a permit many other factors come into play before a company is willing to commit investment money to drill.

One, is there an adequate equipment and workers ready to schedule the drilling?  Many workers disappeared in the pandemic.  Additionally steel pipe and equipment are short supply on back-order for months.  So drilling activity during this administration is more planned and scheduled.  In the past Wildcatters would drill wells on speculation resulting in boom or bust cycles as the price of oil gyrated.  Investors investing in oil are more about consistent returns in today’s economic environment.  The Biden administration has made it clear that while he is president, energy production via fossil fuels is not a high priority.

Two, the cost to extract a barrel of oil is about $10-15 in Saudi Arabia.  While in West Texas is can be as high as $70.  If the Biden administration is flooding the market with oil from the SPR.  What is the point in competing with the Federal government?  Given an outlook of a sustained $80/barrel and above rate, more drilling might be occurring.

Three, only about 10% of the oil extracted within the US is from Federal lands, most of it is from private lands.   There are many many existing low producing wells on private and federal lands, now not producting, but once the price of a barrel of crude rises, they become economically viable to be activated to increase the output.

Fourth, oil companies like to have an inventory of wells available with predicted reserves to show they are ready for the future.  Financial analysts pay attention to each companies Reserve Components.

A lot has been said about during Biden’s first year in office, the US produced an average of 11mb/day.  While Trump’s first year in office, only an average of 9mb/day were produced.  But, the drilling for Biden’s number occurred during the Trump years, while the drilling for Trump’s numbers were during Obama’s years.  Drilling takes time.  Roads need to be built.  Estimates for 2023 are at about 12.3 mb/day.   As the economy grows, as it should, increases are expected.  Ideally more of this would be green energy, but that takes time.

2022-Mar-31 Biden orders SPR releases of 1mb/day up to the Midterm Elections

President have used the Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) as a way dampen the economic effect of hurricanes, terrorism, and global cutbacks.   After the 1973 Arab Oil Embargo, congress determined there was a need for an emergency stockpile of crude oil and authorized the SPR to hold crude for emergency uses.  Crude started flowing into the SPR in 1975.  And since that time the United States has pursued a policy of Energy Independence.  Presidents up until President Biden promoted the concept of Energy Independence.

Presidents have used the Strategic Petroleum Reserves a number of times, for both emergency reasons, and political reasons.

2022-Apr-15 Increase in Lease Royalty Costs

The US Department of the Interior increased the royalty rate from 12.5% to 18.75%.  Basically a 50% jump in costs. This was the first increase since the royalty rates were first imposed in the 1920’s, almost 100 years ago.  Nominally these costs are just passed on the consumer.  But this additional burden does have the effect of making more leases unproductive from a cost standpoint and undoubtedly factors into whether to drill or not, given a new wells production cannot be adequately ascertained.

2022-Jul-15 Saudi Arabia - Pariah, or Provider?

During the 2020 campaign Joe Biden strongly came out against  Saudi Arabia primarily because of the Jamal Kashoggi killing.  However, with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve extraction scheduled to begin winding down during the midterm elections time frame he needed to come up with additional oil for US needs.

In the following video, he appears to be strongly against the Saudi’s during a campaign debate. 

Fast forward to 2022.  America’s energy needs have grown.  Biden has expended a large percentage of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve with the planned end date of the extractions to be during the midterm elections.   The three options on the table are Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Venezuela.   Initially Venezuela is off the table.  And Iran appears to be pursuing their quest for a Nuclear Weapons suite.  So Saudi Arabia, an old ally of the US, is where he goes first.

President Biden had a summer 2022 middle east trip.  He visited many countries but the key one was Saudi Arabia, a country whose leader he has labeled a Pariah.   There he meant with Saudi Leader MBS to request production increases.

Warning, Satire, this digitally altered photo was widely circulated on Social Media during July 2022. The thought of the US President, bending the knee to OPEC, after Biden's past historical statements, was found to be comical by some.
22-Jul-15 President Job Biden meets with Saudi leader, MBS (Mohammed bin Salman) to ask that the Saudi's, and OPEC, increase their production to help the US economy.

2022-Sep-26 Nord Stream 2 Pipeline explodes

On Sept 26, 2022, the pipeline was damaged with what appeared to be a large explosion.  At this time an investigation is ongoing to attempt to determine the cause. Looking back, as Russia was getting ready to invade Ukraine, on February 7, 2022, Biden made what could be historically as a rather bold statement. 

In the video below Biden promises if Russia invades Ukraine, then there will be no more pipeline.

Russia did invade Ukraine, and the pipeline is now in-operable.  A question for you is, after viewing the above video, did the President keep his word?

2022-Oct-13 Biden's Perfect Phone Call, Election Interference?

After the Saudi’s had turned down Biden’s request for them to pump more oil.  And then in early October OPEC announced a production cut of 2 million barrels a day.  This seemed to infuriate Biden and he publicly vowed to halt arms sales and allow price fixing lawsuits.

On October 13, 2022, dnyuz.com reported that -> The Saudi Foreign Ministry, in an unusual statement, said that the Biden administration had urged the kingdom to delay the production cuts for one month. Such a delay could have prevented price hikes at the gas pumps that might harm Democratic candidates in the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 8.  Fortune magazine also reported this story.

Was this behind the scene dealing Election Interference?  If Donald Trump had made the same perfect phone call to the Saudi’s, pleading with them to post pone production cuts until after the mid-terms, what would America’s media companies have done with this information?

 

2022-Nov-17 Biden flip-flops and states Pariah MBS should be granted sovereign immunity in Khashoggi civil case

Biden, abandoning a campaign promise filed papers that Mohammed bin Salman should be granted immunity.  This action will likely lead judge John Bates to dismiss a civil case brought against Prince Mohammed and his alleged accomplices.

Given his July trip to Saudi Arabia to request more oil production, it is believed this will put Biden on better footing if he wants to re-request more production increases.

Biden must no longer believe that MBS is a Pariah.

2022-Nov-26 - President Biden is forced to turn to Venezuela's Tareck El Aissami, on the ICE most wanted list

With the Saudi’s denying Biden output increases, and instead giving him production cuts, and Iran still not cooperating.  And having the US increase production political a no-go for his handlers, Biden is forced to turn to Venezuela.

Venezuela in the late 90’s was producing 3 million barrels/day and exporting 1.8m barrels/day to the US alone.   But then the introduction of Hugo Chavez as their leader and country reforming itself to a Bernie Sanders/Elizabeth Warren style socialist state caused oil production to plummet.   Capitalist countries such as Chevron were force to leave the country.

So on 2022-Nov-26 Biden’s Treasury Dept. granted Chevron a license to resume limited production.  When Chevron was forced to leave, it left assets and receivables worth about $4B.  Before Venezuela gets any money from the sales, Chevron will get to be paid.

Making this deal with Venezuela gives the appearance of Joe Biden doing something about the price of oil.  But it could be viewed as just another job transfer to another country.  In addition it just off-shores our emissions, basically an accounting trick to make the US look greener from a statistical charting perspective.  But given the oil fields haven’t been used for awhile, and nearly all of the skilled workers have left the company, output for years could be low.

Days after the U.S. authorized Chevron’s return, the company’s top executive there met with Venezuela’s oil minister, Tareck El Aissami, a man the U.S. has accused of drug smuggling.

Tareck El Aissami, for whom the U.S. ICE agency has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his capture, tweeted “TIME TO PRODUCE!!”

Even MBS doesn’t have a $10 million reward on him.  But when your poll numbers are dropping, you do what you can.

WWW.ICE.GOV on this date, 2022-Dec-6, depicts Tareck El Aissami as being significant enough to be on the most wanted list.
WWW.ICE.GOV on this date, 2022-Dec-6, depicts Tareck El Aissami as being significant enough to be on their most wanted list.
Tareck El Aissami, Venezuela's Oil Minister. The United States has a $10 million award for information that leads to his capture. Now Biden's go to man in Venezuela to get Venezuela pumping more oil for the United States. Will there be an offer of immunity from the Biden administration?

Summary

From Campaign promises, to Executive Orders, releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, to ignoring court orders to hold quarterly lease sales per congressional law, to groveling to other countries leaders to increase their production while fighting domestic production Biden has crafted a marketing look that belies his verbal intentions.

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